Adjustable head golf club for right and left handed players

ABSTRACT

A golf club is provided having an adjustable head which may be moved to a position for use as a putter or any one of eight different irons. It may be used optionally as a right or lefthanded club, has embodied therein novel means for easily and efficiently locking the club head in any of its selected positions in relation to the shaft of the club, and a novel arrangement of readily visible index marks and graduations for enabling the club head to be quickly moved to a selected position, and consists of a minimum number of parts of simple construction, which can be manufactured at low cost, and can be quickly and easily assembled without excessive use of tooling.

Verderber ADJUSTABLE HEAD GOLF CLUB FOR RIGHT AND LEFT HANDED PLAYERSInventor:

Filed:

Joseph Verderber, 15255 Lake Shore B1vd., Cleveland, Ohio 441 10 July24, 1972 Appl. No.: 274,171

US. Cl. 273/79 [51] Int. Cl A63b 53/06 [58] Field of Search 273/79,80.1, 168

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,455,150 11/1948 Verderber273/79 2,520,701 8/1950 Verderber...., 273/79 2,593,368 4/1952 Verderber273/79 2,520,702 8/1950 Verderber 273/79 2,329,313 9/1943 Winter 273/791,165,559 12/1915 Vories 273/79 1,429,569 9/1922 Craig 273/79 2,847,2198/1958 Shoemaker... 273/79 2,882,053 4/1959 Lorthiois 273/79 3,601,3998/1971 Agens 273/79 451 Feb. 12,1974

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 218,423 7/1924 Great Britain 273/73 JPrimary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham Assistant Examiner-Richard J. ApleyAttorney, Agent, or Firmlsler & Ornstein [57] ABSTRACT A golf club isprovided having an adjustable head which maybe moved to a position foruse as a putter or any one of eight different irons. It may be used0ptionally as a right or left-handed club, has embodied therein novelmeans for easily and efficiently locking the club head in any of itsselected positions in relation to the shaft of the club, and a novelarrangement of readily visible index marks and graduations for enablingthe club head to be quickly moved to a selected position, and consistsof a minimum number of parts of simple construction, which can bemanufactured at low cost, and can be quickly and easily assembledwithout excessive use of tooling.

5 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures ADJUSTABLE HEAD GOLF CLUB FOR RIGHT AND LEFTHANDED PLAYERS This invention relates generally to golf clubs, but hasreference more particularly to a club having an adjustable head, whichmay be moved to a position for use as a putter, or as any one of eightdifferent irons.

Another object of the invention is to provide a golf club of thecharacter described, which may be used optionally as a right-handled orleft-handled club.

A further object of the invention is to provide a club of the characterdescribed, having novel means for easily and efficiently locking theclub head in any of its selected positions in relation to the shaft ofthe club.

A further object of the invention is to provide a club of the characterdescribed, having a novel arrangement of readily visible index marks andgraduations for enabling the club head to be quickly moved to a selectedposition.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a club of thecharacter described, which consists of a minimum number of parts ofsimple construction, which can be manufactured at low cost, and can bequickly and easily assembled, without excessive use of tooling.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent during thecourse of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, andin which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughoutthe same,

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a golf club embodyingthe invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the club, as viewed from the rightside of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view of the club;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view, taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view, taken on the line 55 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view, taken on the line 66 of FIG. 5, and

FIG. 7 is an end elevational view of the inner end of the collar inFIGS. 4 and 5 which is pinned to the stem of the hosel.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the golf club will be seento comprise a head, generally indicated by reference numeral 10, ahosel, generally indicated by reference numeral 11, and a shaft 12,which is secured, in any desired manner to the hosel.

The head 10 of the club is symmetrical at both sides of its longitudinalcenter line or axis, such center line or axis coinciding with the line44 in FIG. 1 of the drawings. This symmetricity is important because itenables the club to be used as a right-handed club, as shown in FIGS. 1and 2, or as a left-handed club, by rotating the club head to expose theface 13 of the club in a direction opposite to that seen in FIG. I.

The club head is provided with rear surfaces 14 and 15 which convergetoward each other and extend to a substantially flat rear surface 16,which is substantially parallel with the front face 13 of the head.

The surface 16 is provided with a rearwardly extending protuberance 17which also extends vertically to the surfaces 14 and 15, and has formedtherein a recess 18 having a semi-cylindrical wall, which serves apurpose to be presently described.

The head is also provided with a longitudinally extending cylindricalbore I9, which is open at the shaft end of the head and is closed at theother end, as by an end wall 20.

The hosel 11 of the club is provided at its lower end with a stem whichextends into the bore 19, and consists of three portions, namely, aportion 21 of substantially the same diameter as the diameter of thebore 19,

so as to be slidable along the wall of this bore, a portion 22 of adiameter somewhat less than the diameter of the bore 19, and a portion23 of slightly less diameter than the diameter of the portion 22. Thejunction of the portions 22 and 21 provides an annular shoulder 24,while the junction of the portions 23 and 22 provides an annularshoulder 25.

The portion 21 of the stem is provided adjacent its rear end with anannular recess 26, in which an O-ring 27 is mounted, which has a wipingcontact with the wall of the bore 19, whereby to provide a seal againstentrance of moisture into the bore 19.

The portion 23 of the stem has secured to its outer end, as by means ofa pin 28, an annular collar 29 which has an outer diameter substantiallythe same as the diameter of the bore 19, whereby the head 10 may be slidaxially over the outer surface of the collar 29.

The inner end of the collar 29 is provided with circumferentially-spacedteeth 30 of V-shaped crosssection which extend substantially radially ofthe said inner end, between the outer and inner surfaces of the collarand have V-shaped recesses 31 therebetween, which serve a purpose to bepresently described. The anglebetween the sides of these recesses isapproximately 25, or more.

The portion 23 of the stem has slidably mounted thereon an annularcollar 32, which has an outer diameter substantially the same as theouter diameter of the collar 29, and is provided with a recess 33 havinga semi-cylindrical wall, the axis of which extends tangentially to theouter wall of the collar 32. ,The collar 32 is secured to the head 10 ofthe club, as by means of a locking pin 34 which extends through therecesses 18 and 33.

The outer end of the collar 32 is also provided withcircumferentially-spaced teeth 35 of V-shapcd crosssection, which extendsubstantially radially of the said outer end, between the outer andinner surfaces of the collar, and have V-shaped recesses 36therebetween, the angle between the sides of these recesses beingapproximately 25, or more.

With the parts in the position shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, there is a spaceof about one-eighth inch between the end wall 20 of the bore 19 and theouter end of the collar 29.

A compression coil spring 37 is interposed between the shoulder 24 ofthe stem and the inner end of the collar 32. This spring normally biasesthe collar 32 towards the collar 29, thereby causing the teeth 35 of thecollar 32 to enter into the recesses or spaces 31 of the collar 29, soas to lock the collars 29 and 32 to each other, and thereby preventrotation of the club head 10 relatively to the stern of the hosel.

In FIG. 2, the base of the hosel 11 is shown as provided with ninecircumferentially-spaced graduations or markings, while the rear end ofthe club head is provided with two index marks 0 and O. The index mark 0is seen as aligned with the graduation which is farthest to the right,thereby designating that the face of the head is in the position of aputter, for a righthanded golfer.

When it is desired to move the head of the club to any other position,that is to say, to a position corresponding to a two iron, three iron,four iron, five iron, six iron, seven iron, eight iron or nine iron, thehosel 11 of the club is held rigidly in the right hand, and the lefthand is used to push the club head to the right, as viewed in FIGS. 4and 5.

This causes the teeth of the collar 32 to become disengaged from theteeth of the collar 29, and the collar 32 to come into abutment with theshoulder of the stem, which shoulder thus limits the extent of suchmovement. At this point, the head 10 may be rotated in a @ockwisedirection, as viewed in FIG. 2, so as to align the index mark with anyone of the graduations to which reference has been made, it beingunderstood that, as seen in FIG. 2, the graduations, reading from rightto left correspond respectively to the position of a putter, the twoiron, the three iron, the four iron, the five iron, the six iron, theseven iron, the eight iron, and the nine iron.

After such alignment has been completed, the club head is released,causing the spring 37 to again bias the collar 32 into interlockedengagement with the collar 29, and placing the club in condition foruse.

When the club is to be used by a left-handed golfer the club head 10 isrotated from the position shown in FIG. 2, or from any other position inwhich it has been placed for use as a right-handed club, in a clockwisedirection, as viewed in FIG. 2, until the index mark 0' is aligned withthe graduation farthest to the left.

When the club is to be used as a left-handed club, for any of the eightirons, the graduations, beginning with the one next to the one farthestto the left, and continuing from left to right, correspond respectivelyto the position of the two iron, the three iron, the four iron, the fiveiron, the six iron, the seven iron, the eight iron, and the nine iron,so that the head may be rotated, in a counterclockwise direction, asviewed in FIG. 2, to align the 0' index mark with any one of suchgraduations, to bring the head to the selected position.

As an added precaution to prevent the head of the club from beinginadvertently pushed into an unlocked position, means have been providedfor frictionally locking the head to the stem.

For this purpose, the portion 21 of the stem is provided with an annulararea 21a, which is depressed approximately 0.005 inch. The rear surface16 of the club head is provided adjacent this area 21a with a circularboss 40 cast integrally with the head, which boss is internally threadedfor the reception of a safety lock set screw 41, which is also threadedinto a threaded opening 42 in the rear portion 16 of the head. This setscrew 41 is provided with a handle or lever 43.

When the parts are in the position shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the set screw41 is in frictional engagement with the area 210, thus providing anadditional means of locking the head to the stem.

When the head is to be released from interlocked engagement with thestem, the screw 41 is released, as by turning the handle or lever 43,from frictional engagement with the area 21a, permitting the head to beshifted. After the head has been shifted, and returned to interlockedengagement with the stem, the screw 41 is then again moved intofrictional engagement with the area 21a.

It is thus seen that I have provided a golf club which is highlyadvantageous, from the standpoint that it can be used as a right-handedor left-handed club, has embodied therein locking means for easily andefficiently locking the club head in any selected position in relationto the shaft of the club, has a novel arrangement of easily visibleindex marks and graduations for enabling the club head to be quicklymoved to a selected position, and consists of a minimum number of partsof simple construction, which can be manufactured at low cost, and canbe quickly and easily assembled without the use of complicated tooling.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention, herewith shown anddescribed, is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and thatvarious changes may be made in the shape, size and arrangement of partsthereof, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scopeof the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In an adjustable head golf club, the combination comprising; a clubhead including a symmetrical ball engaging playing face portion and rearsurface portions including a pair of angularly converging surfacesseparated by a rearwardly directed protuberance including a verticalsurface substantially parallel to said playing face, means defining ablind cylindrical bore of substantially uniform diameter extendinglongitudinally of said head, a hosel including a stem portion extendingwithin said bore and including portions of first, second and thirddiameters, each smaller than its predecessor, said first diameterportion of said stem being dimensioned to extend into said bore andengage the wall thereof to provide a sliding fit therewithin, saidportion of said stem of said first diameter terminating in a junctionwith said portion of said second diameter to define a first shouldertherebetween, said portion of said stem of said second diameterextending further into said bore and terminating in a junction with saidportion of said third diameter to define a second shoulder therebetween,said portion of said stem of said third diameter extending still furtherinto said bore, a first collar carried by said third diameter portion ofsaid stern and fixed on the end thereof, said first collar including anouter diameter complementary to said cylindrical bore and terminating atone end in a plurality of circumferentially spaced teeth ofsubstantially V-shaped crosssection, a second collar of substantiallythe same diameter as said first collar and slidably mounted on saidthird diameter portion of said stem between said first collar and saidsecond shoulder, means securing said second collar to said head andagainst sliding movement within said bore, but permitting slidingmovement of said stem therewithin, said second collar including acomplementary toothed portion selectively engageable with the toothedportion of said first collar, spring means encircling said stem betweensaid second collar and said first shoulder urging said collars intoengagement with each other, and lock means carried by said Iprotuberance extending into said bore to selectively secure said headand said stem against relative sliding movement.

- 2. The device of claim 1 wherein said lock means consists of a setscrew.

3. A golf club, as defined in claim 2, wherein a lever is providedextending substantially parallel with said 6 head and is connected tosaid set screw, whereby to rostem is provided with an annular groove,and an O-ring tate said screw. is disposed in said groove for preventingaccess of mois- 4. A golf club, as defined in claim 1, wherein saidsecture into said bore and for retaining a lubricant which end collar issecured to said head by means of a pin exis interposed between the boreof the head and the tending tangentially to said second collar. 5 outersurface of the stem.

5. A golf club, as defined in claim 1, wherein said

1. In an adjustable head golf club, the combination comprising; a clubhead including a symmetrical ball engaging playing face portion and rearsurface portions including a pair of angularly converging surfacesseparated by a rearwardly directed protuberance including a verticalsurface substantially parallel to said playing face, means defining ablind cylindrical bore of substantially uniform diameter extendinglongitudinally of said head, a hosel including a stem portion extendingwithin said bore and including portions of first, second and thirddiameters, each smaller than its predecessor, said first diameterportion of said stem being dimensioned to extend into said bore andengage the wall thereof to provide a sliding fit therewithin, saidportion of said stem of said first diameter terminating in a junctionwith said portion of said second diameter to define a first shouldertherebetween, said portion of said stem of said second diameterextending further into said bore and terminating in a junction with saidportion of said third diameter to define a second shoulder therebetween,said portion of said stem of said third diameter extending still furtherinto said bore, a first collar carried by said third diameter portion ofsaid stem and fixed on the end thereof, said first collar including anouter diameter complementary to said cylindrical bore and terminating atone end in a plurality of circumferentially spaced teeth ofsubstantially V-shaped cross-section, a second collar of substantiallythe same diameter as said first collar and slidably mounted on saidthird diameter portion of said stem between said first collar and saidsecond shoulder, means securing said second collar to said head andagainst sliding movement within said bore, but permitting slidingmovement of said stem therewithin, said second collar including acomplementary toothed portion selectively engageable with the toothedportion of said first collar, spring means encircling said stem betweensaid second collar and said first shoulder urging said collars intoengagement with each other, and lock means carried by said protuberanceextending into said bore to selectively secure said head and said stemagainst relative sliding movement.
 2. The device of claim 1 wherein saidlock means consists of a set screw.
 3. A golf club, as defined in claim2, wherein a lever is provided extending substantially parallel withsaid head and is connected to said set screw, whereby to rotate saidscrew.
 4. A golf club, as defined in claim 1, wherein said second collaris secured to said head by means of a pin extending tangentially to saidsecond collar.
 5. A golf club, as defined in claim 1, wherein said stemis provided with an annular groove, and an O-ring is disposed in saidgroove for preventing access of moisture into said bore and forretaining a lubricant which is interposed between the bore of the headand the outer surface of the stem.